Calibrachoa plant named ‘Balcabplo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Balcabplo’, characterized by its single type, dark royal purple-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Calibrachoa×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balcabplo’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant botanically known as Calibrachoa×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balcabplo’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Elburn, Ill. during September 2003. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Calibrachoa cultivars with attractive flower coloration, medium green-colored foliage, and a moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

The new Calibrachoa cultivar is the result of cross-pollination of a mass selection of 22 proprietary Calibrachoa×hybrida breeding selections designated 2118-1B, 2118-1D, 2118-2C, 2091-1B, 2118-4A, 2118-4E, 2118-5C, 21181-6C, 2118-7A, 2118-7D, 2118-8C, 2118-8E, 2118-9E, 2118-10A, 2118-11C, 2118-11A, 2118-12D, 2060-1-1A, 2086-2A, 2091-3B, 2093-1A, and 2110-1B, not patented, characterized by their light to dark white, yellow, pink, rose, red, lavender, purple, purple vein, and blue-colored flowers, medium to dark green-colored foliage, and mounded, compact, and trailing to prostrate growth habits. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during August 2005 in a controlled environment at Elburn, Ill.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2005 at Elburn, Ill. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balcabplo’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Single type, dark royal purple-colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, mounded-trailing growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parents primarily in flower color.

Of the many commercially available Calibrachoa cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Callie™ Purple ‘Cal Pur’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,427. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Cal Pur’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from         plants of ‘Cal Pur’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are more compact, as measured by         plant width, than plants of ‘Cal Pur’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have fewer flowers than plants of         ‘Cal Pur’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balcabplo’. The plants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 7 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balcabplo’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Balcabplo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on May 8, 2007 between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch at transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa×hybrida cultivar Balcabplo. -   Parentage:     -   -   Male and female parents.—Proprietary Calibrachoa×hybrida             breeding selections designated 2118-1B, 2118-1D, 2118-2C,             2091-1B, 2118-4A, 2118-4E, 2118-5C, 21181-6C, 2118-7A,             2118-7D, 2118-8C, 2118-8E, 2118-9E, 2118-10A, 2118-11C,             2118-11A, 2118-12D, 2060-1-1A, 2086-2A, 2091-3B, 2093-1A,             and 2110-1B, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 8 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 7 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             mounded-trailing growth habit.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 7.6 cm. Width: Approximately 23.2 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal             branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:             Approximately 5.         -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 13.5 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent.             Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of young stem:             144B. Color of mature stem: 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 21. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement on flowering stem: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: At acute angle to stem with tip turning             downward. Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute.             Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature             leaf: Approximately 2.5 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless,             transparent. Color of upper surface of young and mature             foliage: 137A with venation of 144C. Color of lower surface             of young foliage: 138A with venation of 138C. Color of lower             surface of mature foliage: 138B with venation of 138D.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent.             Gland color: Colorless, transparent: Color: 144C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balcabplo’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             9 to 11 days. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single, salverform. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 26. Fragrance: None.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 6.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:             Approximately 1.9 cm. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color: Petals of 86A and corolla             tube of 145C, both with venation of N92A.         -   Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 3.1 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse, some acuminate. Length from             tube: Approximately 1.3 cm. Length of free portion:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.4 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:             Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless,             transparent. Color of upper surface when first open: Darker             than N81A with throat opening and midveins of N92A. Color of             lower surface when first open: N81B with venation of N81A             and midveins of N92A. Color of upper surface when fully             open: N81A with throat opening and midveins of N92A. Color             of lower surface when fully open: N81C with venation of N81B             and midveins of N92A.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 2.0 cm. Diameter at             distal end: Approximately 6.1 mm. Diameter at proximal end:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color of inner surface: 154B with             throat and venation of N92A. Color of outer surface: 154C             with venation of N92A.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem.             Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color: 144B with a faint overlay of             N92D at calyx junction.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused along lower half.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately             1.4 cm. Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface: 137A. Color             of lower surface: 137B with base of 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per             flower, basifixed. Stamen length: Approximately 1.1 cm.             Filament length of free portion: Approximately 5.8 mm.             Filament color: 145B. Anther shape: 2 parted, oval. Anther             length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 8A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: 8B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1             per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Stigma             shape: Funnel. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color:             144A. Style length: Approximately 9.6 mm. Style color: 145B.             Ovary diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary color: N144C. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Calibrachoa has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Balcabplo’, substantially as herein shown and described. 